Follower assembly

ABSTRACT

A follower assembly for use in combination with a card retaining tray including a channel portion extending longitudinally of a tray bottom wall and a follower portion. The follower portion features integrally formed guide and back-up plates; the guide plate being slideably supported within the channel portion and being punched out to define a downwardly and rearwardly extending tab normally retained in locking engagement with recesses formed in a bottom wall of the channel portion by a guide plate affixed leaf spring. The leaf spring has a cam surface adjacent its forward end, which is dimensioned for receipt within the recesses and spaced from the tab a distance corresponding to a multiple of the distance between adjacent recesses.

United States Patent [191 Little 1 FOLLOWER ASSEMBLY [75] Inventor: Carl H. Little, Jamestown, NY.

[73] Assignee: Weber-Knapp Company,

Jamestown, N.Y.

[22] .Filed: May 8, 1972 [21] App1.No.: 251,471

52 us. Cl. 220/223, 220/226 [451 Jan. 15, 1974 Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Steven M. Pollard Attorney-John B. Bean et al.

[5 7 ABSTRACT A follower assembly for use in combination with a card retaining tray including a channel portion extending longitudinally of a tray bottom wall and a follower portion. The follower portion features integrally formed guide and back-up plates; the guide plate being slideably supported within the channel portion and being punched out to define a downwardly and rearwardly extending tab normally retained in locking engagementwith recesses formed in a bottom wall of the channel portion by a guide plate affixed leaf spring. The leaf spring has a cam surface adjacent its forward end, which is dimensioned for receipt within the recesses and spaced from the tab a distance corresponding to a multiple of the distance between adjacent recesses.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures FOLLOWER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed towards follower assemblies employed in retaining a stack of cards upstanding relative to the bottom wall of a card retaining tray. Generally, in such assemblies there is provided in combination a channel portion, which extends longitudinally of the tray bottom wall and a follower portion. The follower portion includes a guide means adjustably movable within the channel portion to accommodate for variations in the thickness of the stack of cards, as measured between a front wall of the tray and a backup means upstanding from the guide means.

More particularly, the present invention is directed to improvements in follower assemblies of the general type disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 831,024 and 978,960,

' wherein spring devices are employed to adjustably retain the follower portion in position within the channel portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The follower assembly of the present invention includes an upwardly opening channel portion, which extends lengthwise of the tray bottom wall and is defined by an elongated channel bottom surface having a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending recesses, side wall portions upstanding from marginal edges of the channel bottom surface and a pair of facing channel flanges extending inwardly from the side wall portions upwardly of the channel bottom surface; and a novelly constructed follower portion. The follower portion includes a guide plate, which is receivable within the channel portion for movements lengthwise thereof and is formed with a raised central portion marginally joined to lower outwardly extending plate flanges dimensioned to underlie the channel flanges outwardly of the respective ends of the bottom surface recesses; a tab, which is punched out from the central portion immediately forwardly of a rear end thereof and bent to extend downwardly and rearwardly relative thereto; a back-up plate, which is carried by and upstands from the rear end of the central portion; and a spring device, which has a rear end thereof fixed to a lower surface of the central portion forwardly of the tab and has a free front end portion thereof extending forwardly beneath the central portion for engagement with the channel bottom surface in longitudinal alignment with' such recesses. The front end portion of the spring device defines an essentially V-shaped cam portion, which is receivable within the recesses and spaced from the tab a distance corresponding to a multiple of the distance between adjacent recesses.

The spring device normally cooperates with the channel bottom surface to upwardly and rearwardly tilt the guide plate in order to resiliently maintain front ends of the plate flanges in underlying engagement with the channel flanges and the tab resiliently retained in one of the recesses; the spring, device being resiliently deformable to permit downward and forward tilting of the guide plate whereby to remove the tab from its associated recess upon application of finger pressure to a rear surface of the back-up plate.

In a preferred construction, the guide and back-up plates are of integral construction in the form of a single bent metal sheet, wherein the back-up plate includes oppositely extending coplanar wing portions at least vertically bounding a rearwardly recessed central portion, and a rearwardly extending lift flange joining upper marginal edges of the wing portions. The rear end of the guide plate is curved upwardly and rearwardly and associated rearwardly and upwardly extending portions of the plate flanges have free marginal edges thereof cut away to permit their passage between the channel flanges. The plate flange portions are connected to and terminate in an essentially coplanar relationship with the recessed central portion, and a rearwardly and upwardly extending portion of the central portion extends at least partially upwardly within the area of the recessed central portion and lies in an essentially coplanar relationship with the wing portions.

DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference is now made more particularly to FIG. 1, wherein the follower assembly of the present invention is designated as 10 and shown as being employed in association with a card tray 12. While tray 12 may be of any suitable construction, it is shown for purposes of reference as including integrally molded plastic front, rear, side and bottom walls 14, 16, 18 and 20, respectively; and a separate front or panel 22,- which may be suitably fixed to front wall 14. Panel 22 may be formed with a drawer pull 24 and a tray contents identifying card receiving recess 26'. A conventional follower rod 28 may be removably inserted rearwardly through panel 22, front wall 14 and assembly 10 for the purpose of retaining cards within the tray.

Assembly 10 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 as generally including an upwardly opening channel portion 30 and a follower portion 32 supported by the channel portion for movement longitudinally of tray bottom wall 20. In

. the preferred form of the invention, channel portion 30 is formed as an integral part of bottom wall 20 and includes a longitudinally extending bottom surface 34 having a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending recesses 36; a pair of side wall portions 38, which upstand from adjacent marginal edges of bottom surface 34; and a pair of facing inwardly extending channel flanges 39, which partially overlie bottom surface 34 relatively outwardly of the respective ends of recesses 36, as best. shown in FIG. 3.

Follower portion 32 is shown in FIGS. 1-4 as generally including a guide plate 40, which is arranged within channel portion 30 for movement lengthwise thereof, a back-up plate 42, which serves to maintain cards in an upstanding condition within the tray; a follower portion position locking tab 44; and a spring device in the form of a leaf spring 46, which normally serves to retain locking tab 44 engaged within one of recesses 36.

More specifically, guide plate 40 is formed with a raised central portion 48 marginally edge joined to lower outwardly extending plate flanges 50, which are dimensioned to underlie channel flanges 39 and overlie bottom surface 34 outwardly of recesses 36. Back-up plate 42 is formed with a pair of coplanar wing portions 52 joined by a rearwardly extending lift flange 53 and a rearwardly recessed central portion 54.

In a preferred form of the invention, guide plate 40 and back-up plate 42 are of integral construction and formed from a single bent metal sheet. In accordance with this construction, the rear.end 40' of guide plate 40 is bent upwardly such that the associated rearwardly and upwardly extending portions 50' of plate flanges 50 are connected to and terminate in essentially coplanar relationship with recessed central portion 54, and the associated rearwardly and upwardly extending portion 48' of central portion 48 extends at least partially upwardly within the area of recessed central portion 54 and lies in an essentially coplanar relationship with wing portions 52. Preferably, portion 48' extends upwardly within recessed central portion 54 sufficiently to permit a follower rod receiving aperture 56 to be formed therein; thus serving to prevent weakening of the follower at this point. As will be apparent from viewing FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, plate flange portions 50' are cut away or narrowed relative to plate flange portions 50 in order to permit passage thereof upwardly between channel flanges 39.

Locking tab 44 is formed by punching out central portion 48 immediately forwardly of rear end 40'; the tab being bent to extend downwardly and rearwardly to terminate below the lower surfaces of plate flanges 50. It will be noted that the vertical distance betwen the lower free end of tab 44 and the upper surfaces of plate flanges 50 is less than the distance between bottom surface 34 and channel flanges 39 in order to permit the tab to be removed from locking engagement with re cesses 36.

Leaf spring 46 is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 as having its rearwardly extending end suitably affixed to the lower surface of central portion 48, as by a rivet 58, and as having its free front end portion extending forwardly beneath the central portion in longitudinal alignment with recesses 36. Preferably, the free end of spring 46 is shaped to define an essentially V-shaped cam portion 60, which is receivable within recesses 36 and spaced from the free end of tab 44 a distance corresponding to a multiple of the distance between adjacent recesses.

Again referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that spring 46 cooperates with channel bottom surface 34 to normally tilt the guide plate upwardly and rearwardly whereby to resiliently maintain the front ends of guide flanges 50 in underlying engagement with channel flanges 39 and tab 44 locked within one of recesses 36. By this means, the follower is normally constrained from movement rearwardly within the tray under the weight of cards disposed between back-up plate 42 and tray front wall 14. Further, the camming action of cam portion 16 within its associatedrecess tends to force tab 44 rearwardly against the rear bounding wall of its associated recess with a view towards maintaining the follower firmly positioned within the channel without rattling.

The follower may be moved forwardly within the tray by the application of finger pressure to the rear surface of backup plate 42 and preferably adjacent the lower end of central recessed portion 54. During this movement, tab 44 and cam portion merely rachet relative to recesses 36.

When it is desired to move the follower rearwardly within the tray, it is necessary to first lift back-up plate 42 forwardly, as indicated in phantom line in FIG. 4, as by lifting up on back-up plate flange 53 and then apply thumb pressure to the front surface of the back-up plate, such as in the area of recess central portion 54.

Channel flanges 39 may be cut away adajcent the forwardly extending end of channel portion 30, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 4, for the purpose of permitting assembly or disassembly of the follower with the channel portion.

I claim:

1. A follower assembly for use in retaining a plurality of cards or the like generally upstanding from a bottom wall of a card retaining tray, said assembly comprising in combination:

an upwardly opening channel portion extending lengthwise of said tray bottom wall, said channel portion being defined by an elongated channel bottom surface having a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending recesses, side wall portions upstanding from marginal edges of said channel bottom surface and a pair of facing channel flanges extending inwardly from said side wall portions upwardly of said channel bottom surface; and

a follower portion including a guide plate receivable within said channel portion for movements lengthwise thereof, said guide plate having a raised central portion marginally joined to lower outwardly extending plate flanges, dimensioned to underlie said channel flanges, said central portion being punched out immediately forwardly of a rear end thereof to define a downwardly and rearwardly extending tab, a back-up plate carried by and upstanding from said rear end of said central portion, and a spring device having a rear end thereof fixed to a lower surface of said central portion forwardly of said tab and having a free front end portion thereof extending forwardly beneath said central portion for engagement with said channel bottom surface in longitudinal alignment with said recesses, said spring device normally cooperating with said channel bottom surface to upwardly and rearwardly tilt said guide plate to resiliently maintain front ends of said plate flanges in underlying engagement with said channel flanges and said tab resiliently retained in one of said recesses, and said spring device being resiliently deformable to permit downward and forward tilting of said guide plate whereby to remove said tab from said one recess upon application of finger pressure to a rear surface of said back-up plate.

2. A follower assembly according to claim 1, wherein said spring device is a leaf spring having said forward end thereof shaped to define an essentially V-shaped cam portion, said cam portion being receivable within said recesses.

3. A follower assembly according to claim 2, wherein said cam portion is spaced from said tab a distance corcoresponding to a multiple of the distance between adjacent recesses, whereby said cam portion cooperates with its associated recess to resiliently bias said tab rearwardly within its associated recess into engagement with a rearward bounding wall thereof.

4. A follower assembly according to claim 2, wherein said guide plate and back-up plate are of integral construction in the form of a single sheet of material, said back-up plate having oppositely extending coplanar wing portions at least vertically bounding a rearwardly recessed central portion and a rearwardly extending lift flange joining upper marginal edgesof said wing portions, said rear end of said guide plate being curved rearwardly and upwardly and associated rearwardly sentially coplanar relationship with said wing portions. 

1. A follower assembly for use in retaining a plurality of cards or the like generally upstanding from a bottom wall of a card retaining tray, said assembly comprising in combination: an upwardly opening channel portion extending lengthwise of said tray bottom wall, said channel portion being defined by an elongated channel bottom surface having a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending recesses, side wall portions upstanding from marginal edges of said channel bottom surface and a pair of facing channel flanges extending inwardly from said side wall portions upwardly of said channel bottom surface; and a follower portion including a guide plate receivable within said channel portion for movements lengthwise thereof, said guide plate having a raised central portion marginally joined to lower outwardly extending plate flanges, dimensioned to underlie said channel flanges, said central portion being punched out immediately forwardly of a rear end thereof to define a downwardly and rearwardly extending tab, a back-up plate carried by and upstanding from said rear end of said central portion, and a spring device having a rear end thereof fixed to a lower surface of said central portion forwardly of said tab and having a free front end portion thereof extending forwardly beneath said central portion for engagement with said channel bottom surface in longitudinal alignment with said recesses, said spring device normally cooperating with said channel bottom surface to upwardly and rearwardly tilt said guide plate to resiliently maintain front ends of said plate flanges in underlying engagement with said channel flanges and said tab resiliently retained in one of said recesses, and said spring device being resiliently deformable to permit downward and forward tilting of said guide plate whereby to remove said tab from said one recess upon application of finger pressure to a rear surface of said back-up plate.
 2. A follower assembly according to claim 1, wherein said spring device is a leaf spring having said forward end thereof shaped to define an essentially V-shaped cam portion, said cam portion being receivable within said recesses.
 3. A follower assembly according to claim 2, wherein said cam portion is spaced from said tab a distance corcoresponding to a multiple of the distance between adjacent recesses, whereby said cam portion cooperates with its associated recess to resiliently bias said tab rearwardly within its associated recess into engagement with a rearward bounding wall thereof.
 4. A follower assembly according to claim 2, wherein said guide plate and back-up plate are of integral construction in the form of a single sheet of material, said back-up plate having oppositely extending coplanar wing portions at least vertically bounding a rearwardly recessed central portion and a rearwardly extending lift flange joining upper marginal edges of said wing portions, said rear end of said guide plate being curved rearwardly and upwardly and associated rearwardly and upwardly extending portions of said plate flanges have free marginal edges thereof cut away to permit passage of said plate flange portions between said channel flanges, said plate flange portions being connected to and terminating in an essentially coplanar relationship with said recessed central portion, and a rearwardly and upwardly extending portion of said central portion extends at least partially upwardly within the area of said recessed central portion and lies in an essentially coplanar relationship with said wing portions. 